6 Dead in Bali Truck Mishap

Out-of-Control Sand Truck Kills 6 and Injures Many Others on Jalan Raya Uluwatu in South Bali.

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(10/16/2010)

An horrific road accident on Jalan Raya Uluwatu in South Bali has left six dead and injured many others on Thursday, October 14, 2010.

Preliminary investigations by police suggest that a heavily loaded sand truck descending down the steep hill near the Garuda Wisnu Kencana (GWK) lost control careening into motorcycles, cars, pedestrians and road-side shops. According to Bali Post, initial suspicions that the truck had "blown" its brakes were discounted by a technician from Nissan the company that manufactured to the truck. Enforcing this viewpoint, Bima Arya Viyasa of the Bali Traffic Police said that it did not appear the brakes were to blame with the more like villain being human error.

Police have inspected the braking system of the truck and found it to still be intact.

Police now believe that the driver of the truck, Ali Mastur, who died in the accident panicked as he struck three motorcyclists, increasingly losing control of the truck as it plummeted down the steep hill. "The driver eventually made a hard turn to the right, causing the horrific crash," explained Viyasa.

Investigators point to the discovery of a sandal stuck to the trucks gas pedal as further indication of human error in the crash loaded with limestone. Police believe the sandal caused the gas pedal to stick and accelerate out of control.

After crashing into three motorcycles, the truck owned by PT Harapan Baru plowed into a roadside food stall, several road-side shops, and a number of parked cars and motorcycles along the road. The truck rolled and eventually came to a halt against a power pole.